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| - When in Vegas last year for my buddy's birthday, I had to look up some options on where to eat, and conveniently L'Atelier was in the MGM where we were staying. While it may not have officially had a Michelin star anymore due to those pretentious Europeans pulling out of Vegas entirely, I still consider it my first Michelin-starred eating experience.
The restaurant itself was a lot smaller than I expected, with just a handful of tables and then a bar wrapping around the wide open kitchen. This made it a combination of a meal and performance art, watching meals be constructed at such a high level. I'm no slouch, but most meals I eat don't involve tweezers in the preparation.
I splurged on the tasting menu for myself, with each course dutifully presented and described by the waiter as they came.
Scallop carpaccio - the thinly sliced scallops were ultra smooth, with added richness from the olive oil and just a little bit of bite from the chives.
Stuffed pepper - bigger flavour here from the pepper, while the eggplant filling had a soft texture and light flavour. The slice of tuna belly was rich and not too fishy, while the crispy wafer bits added a crunchy contrast to the rest of the dish.
Langoustine - this mini-lobster came with green curry and oil smears. Perfectly cooked, although not as rich in flavour as the Nova Scotia lobster that I have at home, but it was a great dish nonetheless and the best so the first few courses.
Foie gras tortellini soup - the broth was very mild, with most of the flavour coming from the cilantro, green onions and chili flakes (?) in the soup. The foie gras tortellini was smooth and delicious, although the foie was subdued by the bigger herby flavours of the dish.
Seared turbot - very mild fish, but perfectly cooked and flaked easily with a fork. A bit of acidity from the pickled veggies added a bit of bite.
Foie gras-stuffed quail and mashed potatoes - the quail leg was fantastic - moist and flavourful, with added depth from the sauce. The tiny stuffed breast was a little bit on the dry side, but the fattiness of the foie helped in that regard. The mashed potatoes were as fluffy and rich as you could possibly make a potato.
Dessert #1 was comprised of a strawberry and cherry tomato sorbet and lime ganache. The flavours were spot on and a stark contrast to mass produced desserts or ice creams that I'm not a huge fan of. A light, refreshing and not-too-sweet dessert.
Dessert #2 was a great mix of textures - smooth caramel and chocolate sauces, crispy wafers, a few kernels of popcorn. Again, not heavy on the sugar but a nice way to finish the meal.
Things wrapped up with a great espresso to power me through the night to come.
It certainly wasn't easy on the wallet, but it was an awesome meal and experience. The elevated level of expectations here made me be more nit-picky but Michelin star or not, it is definitely worth a visit.
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